Tag: develop discipline

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Be Disciplined

After I hit my head earlier this year, it took me a few days to get back to my normal routines. Having stitches on my face threw me off mentally and physically. I couldn’t focus and my creative juices didn’t flow.

Living with a disability means you are better off sticking to your routines if you want to be more productive. Persons with brain injuries really need to understand the benefits of daily routines. Benefits like . . .

  • Easier to focus
  • Motor memory kicks in
  • Less stressful

Most of us as children, hated the daily chores our parents gave us when we were little. We didn’t understand what disciplines they were trying to instill in us. After my accident, I learned the importance of staying disciplined daily.

Because of my TBI, I pay closer attention to my surroundings and try to use all of my senses to compensate for my lack of feeling and limited eyesight.

I also learned to pay closer attention to my body and feelings, to be aware of any potentially negative changes that may cause further harm to myself. Persons with brain injuries are commonly hypersensitive for the rest of their lives.

Over the years I have learned other disciplines that help me feel and function much better. For instance, limiting my caffeine, getting at least eight hours of sleep each night, and staying hydrated are daily disciplines I practice.

Discipline

Growing up we didn’t like the rules or the discipline our parents gave us, but as adults, we better understand how both discipline and rules help us mature. Discipline is defined as, “Training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental facilities or moral character; instruction.”

Discipline isn’t just a consequence for bad behavior; it is also for encouraging better habits. Healthy disciplines are the practices we employ to be productive, safe, and have a strong body. Sometimes these practices may be routine or boring. However strong disciplines increase focus and productivity. These are especially beneficial for writers.

Writing Disciplines

Every writer knows writing isn’t as easy as simply sitting down at a computer and magically creating wonderful prose with little effort. It may take hours, days, or weeks to breathe life into our writing and get it where we want it to be.

We understand writing is a process that requires specific skillsets and disciplines to make our words shine, which take time to develop. We also must protect and respect the disciplines of the writing life.  Below are some disciplines from successful writers on how to stay healthy and productive.

  1. Maintain a dedicated workspace and routine.
  2. Writing is a business, not a hobby.
  3. Stay connected with other writers and editors.

Since every writer is different, we may need different disciplines or habits to produce our best work. The point is to find what works best for you.

Some people like writing late at night, but I prefer to sleep at night for at least eight hours. Some people like listening to music while they write, I prefer peace and quiet to help me focus. Some people eat while they write, I prefer to enjoy my food and words separately and view eating at my computer as a bad habit.

Habits

Habits can be hard to break, but bad habits can break us. This may surprise you if you have followed my column for a while, but before my accident, I wasn’t a health fanatic and I didn’t take care of myself. I had a lot of bad habits from childhood and some I picked up in college. I drank soft drinks and alcohol and never drank water. I ate more junk food than nutritious food. At most, I would get only four hours of sleep each night.

I read more comic books than I did actual books. I rarely exercised, except hanging out at the gym with my friends. And the biggest shocker is, I hadn’t ridden a bicycle in over a decade before my accident. After my accident, I realized I needed to grow up and be more health conscious. I stopped smoking and drinking alcohol. Ironically, now my normal adult bedtime is the time my parents taught me to go to bed when I was a kid, 9 PM.

Living with a brain injury has forced me to develop healthier lifestyle disciplines over the last 27 years, including . . .

  • Limit caffeine
  • Drink a gallon of water per day
  • Eat healthier
  • Get more sleep and rest
  • Exercise daily

I have learned “adulting” means developing better health habits and taking care of myself physically and mentally. As we age, most of us learn to make lifestyle changes to live healthier lives. Our fitness goals become survival goals. Most of us look back and wish we made better choices in life when we were younger.

What are some habits you can learn as a writer to be more disciplined?

Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJohnson.com  and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Supporting Teen Writers

Supporting Aspiring Teen Writers

There is much to look forward to when one becomes a writer. From the opportunity to express a unique outlook to immersing yourself in an imaginary world to making money doing something you love, becoming a professional writer isn’t a bad way to go.

However, getting published as a teen writer is no easy feat. But as the parent or other adult figure in their life, you have a chance to give young, aspiring writers the support they need to flourish.

Help Develop Writing Discipline

One of the most critical factors in becoming a successful writer is discipline. Not only must you write as much as possible, but you must also be willing to write even when you don’t feel like it. If teens only write when they want to, they’ll face a much longer, more difficult path as a writing professional.

Help them develop this discipline. Start with writing goals. Ask your teen to list what they’re striving for regarding writing. Then, they can choose a time to write every day. Be sure it’s something manageable, something that doesn’t interfere with school or extracurriculars, and something they can truly commit to, even if it is just five minutes a day.

You can also encourage your teen authors to gain experience by starting a blog and guest posting for digital and print publications they already enjoy reading. They’ll be required to write a lot and will gain snippets to add to their portfolio along the way.

Encourage Writing for Personal Reasons

It’s easy for aspiring teen authors to get caught up in chasing money, credits, or attention when pursuing writing as a profession. However, it’s essential to encourage them to write for personal reasons, too. 

Being a teenager is already tough enough. Hormones, emotions, relationships, and peer pressure can lead to acting out. Factor in the ups and downs of trying to become an author, and it can be incredibly draining emotionally, mentally, and physically. The best thing you can do as a parent or guardian is to support your teen during this rebellious phase.

Encourage your teenager to write simply to express themselves. Journaling is a fantastic way to help them gain clarity and reestablish stability when they’re feeling misunderstood or lost. Then you can sit down and openly communicate the feelings, concerns, and thoughts they’ve written down when they’re willing to share them.

Writing for personal reasons can also help aspiring teen authors maintain balance throughout their journey to becoming published or securing a professional writing job.

Feed Them Positivity

Feeding aspiring teen authors positivity every chance you get is one of the best things you can do to support them. As much as people think being a writer is entirely enchanting, it can actually be a lonely, challenging job sometimes. Make sure your teen is aware of the challenges that may come with being an author and that they know it’s okay to not want to be a professional writer, after all.

There are typically a lot of “no” responses they will have to endure before getting a shiny “yes.” There will also be people that swear print media is dying and that book writing or journalism isn’t lucrative anymore. These things can weigh heavy on a teen’s spirit and dissuade them from pursuing writing.

Constant positive reinforcement can keep them on track to achieve their writing dreams. For instance, let them know print media is alive and well. Of course, the publishing industry has evolved to include digital alternatives like e-books and online news sources. However, hard- and paperback books, print magazines, and traditional marketing vehicles are still highly favored among avid readers and professionals.

Additionally, try to find established authors that started as teens to serve as inspiration.

You can also encourage your teen to explore self-publishing a book or on blogs over traditional publishing avenues to start building their portfolio a bit faster.

Most importantly, be willing to read every piece of their writing. Share everything you love about the work while offering some constructive feedback on the things you think they could improve. Always uplift aspiring teen writers, especially in challenging conversations and down times in writing.

Take Advantage of School Resources

Your teen’s school can be a great source of support for helping them progress in their writing journey. You can connect with teachers, librarians, and writers at the school and ask for their advice on how to move the ball forward.

Inquire about any writing classes, websites for teen writers, book clubs, workshops, retreats, conferences, and events. These can be school-related or recommended by staff as resources in the community. You could also see if fellow students are willing to start a writing group with your teen to share work and resources and get quality feedback.

Aspiring teen authors need your support to thrive.

By implementing some of the advice above, your teen will be able to develop the discipline, confidence, and resourcefulness it takes to be the best writer they can be.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.